


park boredom

by aizono



Category: DmC: Devil May Cry
Genre: Childhood Memories, don't worry they don't get in the way of the story too much, in which case hmu cause i inhale every scrap of info i can get, they are babie, this isn't really an AU since there's nothing to imply this DIDN'T happen, unless there's some little piece of trivia that proves something didn't happen, we weren't given enough, yes i put in my personal headcanons
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-08-03
Updated: 2019-08-03
Packaged: 2020-07-30 14:36:40
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 994
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20098798
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/aizono/pseuds/aizono
Summary: "Why wouldn't someone be living with their family? Who else is there?"-----Pregame fic of baby Kat and Dante. Mostly dialogue. Written in a late-night fugue with some editing before posting. Not my best work but I wrote it so out it goes.





	park boredom

There's nothing to do.

Mom's busy with a client. It's the same guy from last week who wanted to know if his marriage was doomed. Mom's clare-voy-ants works better the closer she is to a future situation. She's told Maria that he'll be back next week.

Maria is bored. She goes outside, making sure to lock the door behind her with the key hanging around her neck. Everyone knows her mom, so nobody bothers her as she makes her way. Even other children avoid her, having been warned away by rumours whispered to them by friends and family. Maria doesn't think anything of it but she does feel lonely, especially when she tries to play with other children and they run away. Still, running away is better than when they throw glass and stones at her.

There aren't any sounds coming from the park. Maria thinks that it's built in a silly place- surrounded by other buildings. It's asking for big kids to draw on the grey walls. She's heard that people think it's trashy but Maria likes the bright colours, even if some of the exaggerated faces look scary when it gets dark. She'd rather stare at scary faces than blank concrete. 

Maria halts. There's a boy on a swing. On the only swing that can actually be played on (one is wrapped around the bar it should be hanging from and the other two are melted lumps of rubber on the ground). He's not even playing, he's just scowling at the ground! That's not fair; she wants to play on it! And she can't if he is. Or isn't. Whatever. The point is that she can't do what she wants to do. 

The boy hasn't noticed her, so that must be why he hasn't moved. It gives her a moment to really look at him, something she doesn't do with other children. He has short, scruffy brown hair. Her hand reaches up to curl one of her fringe braids subconsciously; doesn't he wash his? He's also scrawny but she can tell he's taller than her. He's old but he isn't a big kid. 

Yeah, she can take him. 

She marches over, her braids bouncing from side to side. "I want a turn."

The boy's face is surprised for a moment- how could he not hear her approaching? was he thinking that hard?- before it locks back into a scowl. His eyes are blue and cold. "Fuck off."

Maria gasps. "You can't swear!"

"Just did. What the fuck are you gonna do about it?"

It feels like he's given her a Chinese burn. On her _heart_. Why does he have to be so mean? She doesn't think she's done anything. She sniffs.

The boy looks over. "You're not gonna cry over that."

Yes she is. 

The boy shifts on the swing. "Stop it!" He shouts at Maria.

But that just makes her tears fall quicker. The boy slides off hurriedly. "Here, okay? Have your stupid swing. S'not even that good- it's crap. The chains are rusty."

Maria lifts herself on. She gives the rude boy a long, hard stare as she wipes her face with her sleeves. "What's your name?"

“Dante.” 

"Oh." Maria nods. 

Dante steps to the side as she starts to gain momentum from swinging her legs. "What's your name?" He asks.

"Maria."

"Cool."

"Really?"

He shrugs. "I guess." 

Dante returns to looking at the ground. He's not scowling this time. Maria watches him. She’s not been around someone for this long before. Is he okay?

"Do you know who my mom is?"

Dante shakes his head.

"Why not?"

"I just moved here."

"Oh!" Her eyes light up. He's new! He doesn't know anything! Not the lies, not the bad names people call her and Mom, not anything. He can be her friend! "Can I come to your house?"

"No!" Dante spits, making Maria jump. "Everyone there is- is a bitch!"

"You can't say swears about your family."

Dante kicks the swingset. "They're not my family." 

Why wouldn't someone be living with their family? Who else is there? The only place she can think of is-

Oh. St Lamia's. That's where he lives. 

Maria looks at Dante closely, slowing down. St Lamia kids are 'different'. Nobody wants to be around them because they're creepy, violent and… disturbed? She doesn't know what that last word means but she's sure it can't be good. It's the sort of things people say about her, even though they aren't true. 

She doesn't think Dante is disturbed. Unless it's another word for 'rude', because then he is. He's rude and shouty but he hasn't said anything mean about her or Mom. Maybe he's at St Lamia's by mistake. That would explain why he's so angry. She would be angry if she was taken away from Mom.

"Quit starin' at me," He interrupts her thoughts. "S'fuckin weird."

"Sorry-" Maria jumps off the swing. "Come to my house!"

"What?" Dante sputters. 

"I can't come to your house but you can come to mine! Mom said we can order out tonight but I haven't decided what to eat yet. Do you like Chinese, or pizza, or-"

"Shut up!"

Maria's mouth claps shut. "Why-"

"Why would I want to come to your shitty house?" Dante's eyes twitch with suspicion. 

"I-I dunno… cuz we're friends?"

"Since when?"

That’s got her stumped. When do people become friends? She shrugs. 

“I’m not going to your shitty house.”

“It’s not shitty!”

“It probably has bubbly wallpaper and dark corners, and nowhere to hide from demons! You have to sleep on the floor even when you haven’t been bad!” He turns on his battered shoes and starts away.

“I do not- it doesn’t!” She shouts after him. “Demons don’t exist! Stop lying! Stop being mean!”

“Fuck you!” 

And he’s gone, disappearing into the darkness of the tunnel that leads to the park. 

Maria watches the nothingness. She sits on the swing. 

There's nothing to do.

**Author's Note:**

> Basic headcanons: Maria is Kat's real name, as a callback to Lady's real name being Mary. Her mom was a psychic like herself but used her powers for future-telling. 
> 
> Dante has just been taken to St Lamia's and he hates everything. He's 8 in this while Kat is 5. 
> 
> I would have liked to end this with Dante going to her place and having a good time but I feel like he's very prickly after... everything. You know, hurt others before they hurt you. Also he's stressed to the moon because St Lamia is run by demons (Sparda is a moron in this universe which I actually hate lmao) and we all know Limbo City's care system is abysmal.


End file.
